Monday, December 31, 2012

Update: "Sons of Cheeto" Pen at 6-8 Weeks

Update on the "Sons of Cheeto" breeding pen!

A short update today! About 40 chicks were hatched from eggs specially collected from the established October breeder pen. This pen, highlighted in the October post, featured two sons of "Cheeto" (A Buff Rock cross x Aloha rooster) who was penned with some of my most colorful hens.

Of the 40(ish) chicks hatched from this pen, 12 chicks were culled and sold. (The chicks showing the least amount of white feathering.)

Meanwhile, over at a partner's farm, he has been hatching all other chicks. This includes some excess eggs from the same breeder pen, but also some chicks from a Swedish roo over Aloha hens. He brought over the most spotted chicks that also showed yellow legs.

The result? A really FABULOUS pen of babies that are growing out now!

Will keep you posted as they mature, to see if the color stays on them, or if it grows out at four months. Body type looks good on all, combs look good, so anybody keeping *significant* color at 4+ months will be kept for the program. Crossing my fingers!